Fire-Protection Arrangement For an Installation In a Partition
A fire-protection arrangement (21) for an installation (1, 4) is described, for example a lead-through arrangement, for example for cables or pipes, in a partition (2), for example a wall. The fire-protection arrangement (21) is arranged to be mounted on one side of the partition (2) in such a way that it at least partially surrounds the installation (1, 4).
Latest MCT BRATTBERG AKTIEBOLAG Patents:
The invention relates to a fire-protection arrangement for an installation, for example a lead-through arrangement, for example for cables or pipes, in a partition, for example a wall.
BACKGROUND ARTWith more stringent fire safety requirements being introduced within a number of different areas, there is a need for new technical solutions to prevent or delay the spread of a fire, and/or to protect important installations in a structure in which a fire can occur. For example, a bushing for cables or pipes in a wall or a bulkhead can create an opening through which a fire can spread.
Concerning bushings, traditional cable bushings are described in, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 2,732,226, U.S. Pat. No. 3,489,440 or U.S. Pat. No. 4,767,086. Such bushings are used, for example, to lead cables through bulkheads in a vessel. With reference to the attached drawings (FIGS. 1 and 2) from U.S. Pat. No. 2,732,226, the cables (3) are accommodated in flexible packing elements (4) which, in turn, are supported by a rectangular frame (1) that is welded to the wall, plate or bulkhead (2) through which the cables are to be taken.
In spite of the fact that cable bushings of the type that is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 2,732,226 provide a high degree of fire protection, since the time of the development of this known solution, even more stringent requirements have been made concerning fire protection characteristics of cable bushings, which have created a need for additional solutions in order to increase the resistance to fire.
SUMMARYAn object of the present invention is to improve the fire protection for installations, for example lead-through arrangements, for example for cables or pipes.
Another object of the invention is to improve the fire protection for installations, for example lead-through arrangements, for example for cables or pipes, while retaining good access to the installation.
This object is achieved with a fire-protection arrangement for an installation, for example a lead-through arrangement, for example for cables or pipes, in a partition, for example a wall, characterized in that it is arranged to be mounted on one side of the partition in such a way that it at least partially surrounds the installation.
Tests have shown that, in the event of a fire on one side of a partition in the form of a wall or bulkhead, the partition is heated up whereby heat spreads in the plane of the partition. Thus, an installation in the partition can be heated up as a result of its contact with the partition. As explained in greater detail in the detailed description below, the fire-protection arrangement acts as a shield which, in the event of fire, suppresses the heating up of the partition around the installation, so that the heating up of the installation is in turn suppressed.
The design according to the invention, in which the fire-protection arrangement surrounds the installation, means that the fire-protection arrangement can be designed in such a way that the installation is not completely covered, but is accessible, for example for inspection.
The fire-protection arrangement has preferably an extent parallel to the partition that is greater than its extent perpendicular to the partition. By this means, the shielding characteristics of the fire-protection arrangement are further increased.
The fire-protection arrangement is preferably in contact with the partition. By means of its contact with the partition, the fire-protection arrangement will absorb at least a part of the heat that would otherwise have spread to the installation. In this way, the heating up of the installation is suppressed. As a result, in the case of the installation being a bushing, spreading of the fire is prevented or delayed.
At least a part of the fire-protection arrangement is preferably constructed of a non-combustible material. This further reduces the risk of the fire spreading to the installation or delays its spread. The combustible material preferably surrounds the installation.
The fire-protection arrangement preferably extends further out from the partition than the installation. This, in combination with the fact that the fire-protection arrangement at least partially surrounds the installation, means that a space is created outside the installation, which space is delimited by the part of the fire-protection arrangement that projects beyond the installation. Tests have shown that, in the event of a fire, the temperature in such a space is lower than in the surrounding gas, which in turn means that the temperature in the installation, which is adjacent to the said delimited space, is lower. By this means, the spread of the fire to the installation is prevented or delayed.
The fire-protection arrangement preferably comprises a plurality of frame elements that are arranged, when the fire-protection arrangement is mounted, to be arranged in contact with each other and in sequence around the perimeter of the installation, with at least one cover element being provided to cover at least a part of a joint between two frame elements. The fact that the fire-protection arrangement comprises frame elements means that it can be provided as a modular system in which a simple adaptation can be carried out to the size of a specific installation, by means of a suitable combination of a plurality of frame elements. However, in the event of a fire, it is possible for the partition to be deformed out of its plane, for example by buckling, so that it has locally a curved shape. This can result in the frame elements assuming a tilted position in relation to each other, which in turn means that the distance between the joints increases, in other words there are gaps between them. By providing a cover element that covers at least a part of a joint between two frame elements, in the event of a fire, a flame is prevented from penetrating into a gap between the frame elements and, in this way, the heating up of the partition is reduced.
The cover element is preferably arranged to extend on the outside of the frame elements, and along the joint, and to be attached to the partition. By this means, the cover element can also act as a fixing element for the frame elements.
The fire-protection arrangement preferably comprises a plurality of frame elements that are arranged, when the fire-protection arrangement is mounted, to be arranged in contact with each other and in sequence around the perimeter of the installation, with at least one engagement element being arranged in at least one joint between two frame elements, with the engagement element having a shape that at least partially corresponds to the shape of at least one recess in at least one of the frame elements. This means that displacement between the frame elements is prevented or made more difficult, in particular relative displacement in a direction that is parallel to the plane of the division between two frame elements and parallel to the partition. This increases the stability of the fire-protection arrangement, in particular in the event of a fire, as deformations in the partition caused by heat have a tendency to move the frame elements in relation to each other.
The fire-protection arrangement preferably comprises a plurality of layers that are arranged parallel to the partition when the fire-protection arrangement is mounted, with at least one of the layers being a layer with low heat conductivity.
The invention will be described in greater detail below with reference to the attached drawings, in which:
The protective frame 21 can be mounted by means of any suitable fixing arrangement, for example a welded joint, bolt connection or in the way that is described below with reference to
The protective frame 21 comprises frame elements 21a-21h which are arranged to lie adjacent to each other around the perimeter of the frame. These frame elements 21a-21h can be comprised in a modular system, by means of which protective frames can be adapted to installations 1, 4 of different sizes. Alternatively, the protective frame 21 can, of course, consist of one continuous element.
The protective frame 21 acts as a shield that, in the event of a fire, suppresses the transmission of heat from one area (in
As shown in
The protective frame is provided with a flange 22 so that the protective frame 21 extends further out from the wall 2 than the cable lead-through arrangement 1, 4. This, in combination with the fact that the protective frame 21 surrounds the cable lead-through arrangement 1, 4, means that a space 21A is created outside the cable lead-through arrangement 1, 4, which space is delimited by the part of the protective frame 21 that projects beyond the cable lead-through arrangement 1, 4. As pointed out above, in the event of a fire, the temperature in such a space 21A is lower than in the surrounding gas, which reduces the heating up of the cable lead-through arrangement 1, 4.
The flange 22 has an inclined outer side 22A and thereby serves to guide a flame or heat that approaches along the wall 2 away from the cable lead-through arrangement 1, 4, which is illustrated by the arrow Q in
As shown in
As in the embodiment described above, the protective frame 21 comprises frame elements 21a-21h. The frame elements 21a-21h are arranged adjacent to each other and in sequence around the perimeter of the installation 1.
The cover element 31 is attached to the partition 2 by means of a screw connection 33. By this means, the cover element 31 can also act as a fixing element for the frame elements 21a, 21b. Of course, alternatively, rivets, welding or some other suitable means can be used for attaching the cover element to the partition 2.
In the example shown in
In this example, each engagement element extends from the partition 2 when mounted and has a hexagonal cross section and is arranged symmetrically in the plane of the division between two frame elements 21a-21h. However, several alternative shapes are possible for the engagement elements, for example with rectangular, elliptical or asymmetrically rounded or polygonal cross sections. In addition, each engagement element can be designed as a projecting part permanently attached to a frame element, which part is arranged to engage with a recess arranged in an adjacent frame element, which recess has a shape that corresponds to the shape of the projecting part.
In this example, only one engagement element 34 is shown in each joint 32, but of course several engagement elements can alternatively be provided in each joint, with a corresponding number of recesses being provided in the frame elements at the respective joints.
As shown in
Claims
1. Fire-protection arrangement for an installation having a lead-through arrangement in a partition, comprising at least one element to be mounted on one side of the partition in such a way that the lement at least partially surrounds the installation.
2. Fire-protection arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the element includes an extent parallel to the partition that is greater than its extent perpendicular to the partition.
3. Fire-protection arrangement according to wherein the element is in contact with the partition.
4. Fire-protection arrangement according to claim 1, wherein at least a part of the fire-protection arrangement is constructed of a non-combustible material.
5. Fire-protection arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the element extends further out from the partition than the installation.
6. Fire-protection arrangement (21) according to claim 1, wherein the element comprises a plurality of frame elements that are arranged, when the fire-protection arrangement is mounted, to be in contact with each other and in sequence around the perimeter of the installation, and at least one cover element being provided to cover at least a part of a joint between two frame elements.
7. Fire-protection arrangement according to claim 6, in which the cover element is arranged to extend on the outside of the frame elements, and along the joint, and to be attached to the partition.
8. Fire-protection arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the element comprises a plurality of frame elements that are arranged, when the fire-protection arrangement is mounted, to be in contact with each other and in sequence around the perimeter of the installation, and at least one engagement element being arranged in at least one joint between two frame elements, the engagement element having a shape that at least partially corresponds to the shape of at least one recess in at least one of the frame elements.
9. Fire-protection arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the element comprises a plurality of layers that are arranged parallel to the partition when the fire-protection arrangement is mounted, with at least one of the layers being a layer with low heat conductivity
Type: Application
Filed: Aug 24, 2005
Publication Date: Jul 10, 2008
Applicant: MCT BRATTBERG AKTIEBOLAG (Karlskrona)
Inventors: Roy Olsson (Fagelmara), John E. Dower (Cheshire)
Application Number: 11/661,032